Improved washing-machine



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD BURKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,327, dated February 14, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BURKE, of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful machine-for washing clothing, whe-ther of fine or coarse materials, with less injury to the fabric than the usual method of washing by hand; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view, Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3,'a perspective view of the machine; and Fig. 4, a sectional view of the peculiar feature of the machine, being the washer or rubber.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughont the several views.

Fig. l: A is the ordinary ridged metallic wash-board, as is used generally by families in the ordinary wash-tub. A a is the base of the machine, resting on the bottom of the tub, and to which all the parts of the machine are attached.

bis a iiat matallic bar, malleable iron galvanized with zinc, having a slot in the center nearly its entire lengt-h, and connected permanently with wood frame or bar, (marked f.)

b I) is a clamp and thumb-screw with circular head, which slides up and down as is required in the slot in the metallic bar, (marked 11,) and is also secured permanently to the rubber, (marked y).

C and G are metallic uprights, galvanized with zinc, on both sides of A a', which is the base of the machine, having a slot in each of them, as shown in Fig. 2.

1' D and D are galvanized metallic uprights on both sides of the base A a', which sustains iirmly the wash-board A, as is shown fully in Fig. 2.

d d and d d are metallic galvanizedhooks on both sides of wash-board A, permanently attached, which secures and firmly aflixes the machine to the top of the tub, as shown more fully in Fig. 2.

'C c is a wood turned handle, connected by metallic scrolls to the rubber, (marked 9,) by

which the rubber or washer gis drawn up and down on the face of wash-board A, which motion cleanses the clothes.

g is the rubber or washer, the top of which is perforated with diagonally-bored augerholes to admit the water, the under side of which washer g has pads of india-rubber eX- tending across the same the width of the wash-board A, (and marked L L and L,`} as is shown more fully in sectionial View in Fig. 4.

K and K are galvanized metallic axles on both sides of the machine, connected permanently to the wooden bar or frame, (marked f,) and works freely in the slots in O and C, as shown in Fig. 2.

h and h are bands of india-rubber, which go around axles K and K, and are fastened to platform Aa', and by their contraction and expansion causes the rubber or washer g to adapt itself to any thickness of fabric that is placed between it and the wash-board, (marked A.)

rlhe manner of working my machine is as follows: After the machine is placed in the tub and secured to the top of the same by hooks d d', draw the washer g up to the top of the slot-bar b by the handle C c', then throw the whole rubber or washer and bar b to the opposite side of the tub, (marked Q,) as shown in Fig. 2. We have now the inclined Washboard, (marked A,) perfectly free without any thing in its front or working face, and also a free space below the frame, (marked f,) of seven or eight inches, which gives ample room to get at the clothing to be washed. Draw the clothing up on the inclined wash-board, soap the same, bring the bar b and washer g back to the wash-board A, and by the handle C c move the washer g up and down on the clothing on the face of wash-board A until the clothesare thoroughly clean. No force is required. The simple motion up and down of the washer g is in itself sufficient to wash the clothing.

The wear and tear on the fabric is reduced at least onehalf, and the saving of time is fully reduced one-half, while the labor is of that light character that it hardly is entitled to the name of labor.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the following parts:

the washer g, in connection with the handle name to this specification in the presence of C c', clamp b I), bar f, axles K and K, by, metaltwo subscribing witnesses.

lic fixtures in slots in uprights C and G, in

combination with platform A a, india-rubber bands h and h, and Wash-board A, placed on WVitnesses:

an inclined plane, for the purpose specified. J. A. DENNTSS,

In testimony whereof I have signed my JOSEPH BURKE.

EDWARD BURKE. 

